Burglaries, bashings make for busy week at sheriff#039;s office

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Sheriff's deputies have made two arrests for a series of burglaries that have taken place at various locations in Butler County.

The Butler County Sheriff's Office has charged Donald Ken Mitchell, 42, with six counts of burglary and three counts of theft of property; and Curtis Lee Powell, 44, with one count each of burglary and theft of property, according to Sheriff Kenny Harden.

The arrests were made in connection with at least four burglaries on Cotton Rd., Mt. Ida Rd., S. Mt. Zion Rd., and on Highway 10-East, said Harden. Items taken from the four locations include assorted tools, fishing gear, chainsaws, wire and various other items, according to Harden.

Harden said he received a call from someone who had read The Greenville Advocate's weekly sheriff reports and realized he may have purchased stolen items from at least two suspects. The sheriff's office investigated the lead and soon after arrested Mitchell and Powell on suspicions of the burglaries.

&#8220We ended up getting back thousands of dollars of merchandise that had been sold to this person,” said Harden.

Mitchell is out of jail on $60,000 bond, while Powell remains incarcerated, said Harden. Harden said Powell was arrested after sheriff's deputies executed a search warrant at his residence on Halso Mill Rd. and discovered items reported as stolen. He said Powell is currently on probation for burglary, 3rd degree.

&#8220I'm really proud of everyone in this department,” he said. &#8220Everyone chipped in to bring these cases to a quick conclusion.”

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Four juveniles are spending their weekends replacing over two-dozen mailboxes they damaged or destroyed over a two-week period, according to Butler County Sheriff Kenny Harden.

Harden said the four juveniles, who range in ages from 15 to 16, used bats and a truck to destroy 25 mailboxes and posts on Sandcutt Rd., Farmstead Rd., Manningham Rd., and Burnett St.

Harden said homeowners on Manningham Rd. observed the juveniles leaving the scene of a mailbox bashing in a truck they recognized and provided a description of the vehicle to the sheriff. Upon interrogation the driver confessed, said the sheriff.

Harden said the juveniles caused approximately $700 in damage and would be required to replace all of the mailboxes they destroyed and apologize to the respective homeowners.

&#8220We chose to handle it this way,” he said. &#8220About six years ago we caught five students doing this and we had them go back and replace the mailboxes and pay for the damages. They never got into any more trouble. I think these kids learned a valuable lesson.”

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Deputies have arrested Henry Clayton Holland, 22, of Rutledge for a house burglary that took place on March 14, said Harden.

Holland has been charged with burglary, 1st degree.

Deputies allege Holland broke into a home on Halso Mill Rd. through the front door and stole an X-Box video game system, video games and a shotgun. Deputies were able to recover the majority of the items listed stolen.

&#8220No one should doubt Kenny Harden and the job he is doing for Butler County,” said Amy Hallford, the victim of the March 14 break-in.

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A report of an 18-wheeler stuck in ditch in the Friendship community on March 16 led to the arrest of one man for receiving stolen property, 1st degree.

Deputies received a call on March 16 at 1:39 a.m. of an 18-wheeler that had become stuck in a ditch. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Santell Latuan Herbert, 20, who was then charged with felony theft of the $75,000 vehicle in addition to possession of marijuana, 2nd degree. The truck was stolen from Georgiana, said Harden.

Harden said Herbert had recently served time in prison for stealing Georgiana Police Chief James Blackmon's patrol car in 2004.